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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22716277">Dragon Tales</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenVulca/pseuds/QueenVulca'>QueenVulca</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Best Mates- Blaise &amp; Theo, Could Have Kept It A Secret But Meh..., Creature Fic, Cursed Draco Malfoy, Gen, Hermione Has A Secret, Swan Lake Elements, Sweet Fluff, secret pining, transformation into dragon, with a dash of angst</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 15:07:26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,957</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22716277</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenVulca/pseuds/QueenVulca</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Draco hadn't ever thought his life would become a fairy tale like the ones that Hermione used to tell about.<br/>But alas, that curse sure did turn him into a beast.<br/>What remains to be seen is whether he'll get his beauty or not.<br/>He really need his know-it-all back.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Daphne Greengrass/Theodore Nott, Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy, Lavender Brown/Ron Weasley, Luna Lovegood/Blaise Zabini, Pansy Parkinson/Harry Potter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>38</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I haven't even gotten to half of Night Of The Hunter but this story demanded to be get out for the occasion of Valentine's Day. So, here it is.<br/>Photo credit of Draco and Hermione in my cover art goes to safewordisdevilsnare.<br/>This was 70% written a year back. So, I am editing them up and posting them. I hope to keep a weekly update schedule.<br/>So enjoy this story, lovelies.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>                                                          </p>
<hr/><p>Once upon a time (<em>more like three years and five months ago </em>) </p><p>in a place far, far away (<em>Scotland isn’t that far away from England, is it? </em>) </p><p>lived a prince and a princess. (<em>Oh, come off it. It was a fucking school. There were hundreds of people! But yeah, one prince and one princess </em>). </p><p>They weren’t friends at first, (<em>Damn, right! </em>)</p><p>but after spending years with each other (<em>and that fucking war </em>) </p><p>they became friends (<em>more like tolerated each other </em> <em> , </em> <em> because the eighth year students had gotten a single fucking tower to live in </em>). </p><p>Slowly, as time passed they became more than friends. ("<em>M</em><em>ore than friends? Huh! It was completely one-sided."</em></p><p><b>"Draco, you were dating Pansy </b> <b>back</b> <b> then!"</b></p><p>
  <em>"No! I was saving her from getting betrothed to Flint."</em>
</p><p><b>"How was I supposed to know </b><b>that</b><b>?!"</b>) </p><p>Unfortunately for the prince, he didn’t manage to share his feelings with the princess at the right time and she vanished into thin air after their last day at school. </p><p>For the princess had a secret. A secret that could be dangerous if someone found out about it (<em>it wasn’t that bad secret. </em>)</p><p>“Draco, would you please let me write this story in peace?” Hermione turned to look at her husband of three months. </p><p>“Just trying to keep the facts straight,” Draco replied with a smirk.  </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>                                                       </p><p><b>"As the wine flowed freely, the evening stood witness to the year’s greatest highlight</b> <b>:</b> <b> the commemorative Ministry ball thrown in the honour of the defeat of the </b> <b>Darkness</b> <b> that  claimed many lives. </b></p><p><b>The evening began with the Minister of Magic raising a toast in the memory of our fallen heroes and those who survived to write history. It was a marvelous event, with </b> <b>the </b> <b>elusive heroes and warriors of the battle mingling with each other with</b> <b> an</b> <b> ease that was cemented by the </b> <b>unwavering</b> <b> trust and support built during a very tough time. </b></p><p><b>The Man who Conquered , Harry Potter, turned up with his wife, Pansy Potter, the beautiful and dashing fashion witch of the year, along with their toddler, James Sirius Potter. </b> <b>They were s</b><b>oon followed by the other member of the Golden Trio, Ron Weasley along with his fianceé, Lavender Brown, the columnist at Daily Prophet. </b></p><p><b>But alas, the Golden Trio remained </b> <b>the </b> <b>Golden Duo for the rest of the evening. It was glaringly </b> <b>obvious</b> <b> that intellect extraordinaire, the lovely Ms Hermione Granger was missing from the party. </b></p><p><b>The last time she was seen amidst </b> <b>a</b> <b> grand gathering of people was at the book signing of her latest biography simply titled, The War That Was. Still rated the best </b> <b>best seller</b> <b> in the British book market, Ms Granger</b> <b>’s book</b> <b> is one worth </b> <b>to be </b> <b>kept in the bookcase of every household. </b></p><p>
  <b>Moving on the other celebrities of the evening, Lord Draco Malfoy was seen joining the party later with gorgeous Dowager Malfoy neé Black as his date. The mother-son duo remained the—"</b>
</p><p>“Oh look, you made it to the sixth paragraph of the article,” Blaise crackled as he read out the latest issue of Britain Weekly, “It was a good move to take Lady Malfoy as your date. Your latest slag wasn't worth showing off.”</p><p>“My latest slag, as you so eloquently put it, happened to my cousin from the States,” Draco replied with a glare. </p><p>“As if that has ever stopped the Malfoys,” Theo snickered under his breath. </p><p>“Hah! You are the one to talk. Salivating over Daphne, who's your third cousin’s fourth uncle’s second wife’s aunt’s niece from your mother's side!” Blaise replied. </p><p>“How the fuck do you know that?” Theo replied, taking a generous bite of his toast. </p><p>“Oh please. It's my duty to know. Scratch that, it's my right to know,” Blaise smugly, taking dainty sips from his coffee mug. </p><p>Draco rolled his eyes at the daily antics of his friends. Every Friday to Sunday, they met up at their joint house to hang out without public scrutiny. The three of them had their own wings in the house, allowing them sufficient privacy. </p><p>It wasn't like the stigma of being on the evil side still hung on them — a last moment snap decision on Draco's part during the end of the sixth year had changed the course of his life. And his friends too. </p><p>Now, the three bosom friends lived their lives in most mundane ways possible. They've had enough excitement to last them a lifetime. </p><p>But what nagged at Draco still was the missing part of the Golden Trio. When he had returned for his eighth year at Hogwarts, Granger was his assigned partner for...well… almost all the classes. Because he was the only one who could dare to keep up with her in academics. And as time passed, he had grown to care for her. </p><p>Yes, she was the one who proposed that they bury the hatchet and at least be civil to each other — she was <em>that</em> compassionate despite being a fierce lioness. </p><p>But he had come to enjoy her company and then he had given his heart to her. Wordlessly, obviously. What did you take him for? But wasn't the smartest witch of her generation supposed to understand that?! He did spend every other free time of his with her, always seen in her company. He had even given her that promise jewelry. But too bad, she didn't realise that. Fuck his life. Scratch that, fuck the pureblood courting rules that is never taught at school. </p><p>“Surprisingly, they didn't mention anything about that fucker at the party,” Blaise commented. </p><p>Oh...yeah. That fucker. Apparently, some pureblood sympathiser was waiting to ambush Hermione at that gala. But when he didn't find her, he turned to Draco and shot a spell at him. He had said that traitors needed to be put in their places just like… muggleborns should have been. The man was immediately restrained and thrown in a cell. Non-tolerance of such xenophobia was a very serious matter. The Minister of Magic, Kingsley, had passed strict laws regarding such. </p><p>Other than a small lump behind his head from hitting the wall a little too hard, Draco had no other evidence on him regarding that assault. </p><p>Head bump but no Hermione. That girl seemed to have vanished off the face of the world. Somehow, he was suspicious her close friends knew her whereabouts but were keeping their mouths shut. And if he said he wanted to reach her because he… had strong feelings for her, another head bump would be in his near future. He didn't need to be a Seer to predict that. </p><p>Draco coughed slightly and summoned his glass and conjured himself some water. </p><p>“Are you alright, mate?” Theo asked. “That's your sixteenth glass of water in a span of three hours. Too much water causes death too."</p><p>“I'm feeling hot all over. My throat is parched. Where is all this water getting stored?” Draco coughed as he spoke. </p><p>“Mate, you're getting red around your neck. Allergy?” Blaise asked, putting down his newspaper to look at Draco's inflamed neck. </p><p>Draco's coughing increased now, along with the itchiness. He itched at his neck, his face, his arms. His whole body was burning and itching. </p><p>“Could he be cursed?” Theo murmured as he tried to cast a winter breath charm over Draco. </p><p>“I'm calling my family’s healer,” Blaise replied as he rushed towards the Floo. </p>
<hr/><p>The healer wasn’t able to find anything wrong with him. The curse had a trigger, but it was impossible to find. He had tried contacting the Weasley cursebreaker, but curse their horrible luck, the redhead war hero was out of the country for the next five months. </p><p>The changes weren't subtle at all. The unquenchable thirst had begun the morning after the Ball. At first, he began drinking water a bit more, but now he just couldn’t stop drinking water. His whole body was itching, as if his skin was too tight for him. His mother was distraught, although she had the forethought of making Draco go wallow around in their natural pool in the gardens.</p><p>That eased a bit of his ache. He spent half the day there, drinking water, drinking lemonade, just drinking like a damn fish. By late evening, he could feel his unnatural thirst abating. There was a burning in his throat, but it didn’t want a water bath every minute. </p><p>Then came the itch. The same day, late into the night he felt as if he was on fire. He felt his insides were burning. He was delirious. When afternoon had rolled in and he came back to his senses, he found he had tried to scratch his skin off himself. His arms and torso and anywhere his arm could reach was scratched. There were bits of his own skin and blood under his fingernails. He threw up when he saw them. Apparently, he had been so violent during the episode that nobody, not even the House Elves, had been able to help him. </p><p>Now he had a burning throat and scratched up body. Way to go. Could it be any worse? </p><p>. . . </p><p>He got his answer two days later when he started to shed his skin like he had got a damn sunburn. He grimaced as he peeled a long stretch of skin off his face. He was exhausted. He still had those heat flares; hadn’t gotten a good night’s sleep for the past three days. He was sore, peeling skin of his body, and tired. He was done with the whole thing. What was the use of getting cursed to peel your skin of your body other than mental torture? But looking at this from another point of view, it was only a mild inconvenience. His insides were not rotting, his blood wasn’t boiling, he was not vomiting up his innards. Then what was the point of this curse? He was scared to think what tomorrow would bring. </p><p>. . .</p><p>Tomorrow brought hardening skin. It brought small scales, almost like those of a dragon forming near his temple. </p><p>. . .</p><p>The day after brought accelerated hairfall. By the end of the day, his luscious blonde hair was lying all over the floor of his room as he curled up into a ball and sat by the foot of his bed, legs pulled towards his chest, head resting on the top of his knees. </p><p>. . .</p><p>The only ones who could enter his shut hole were the House elves. Mimi did try to coax some food into him but it could only do so much. His face, his arms, his legs, back and front- scales everywhere. He was turning into a lizard. A fucking lizard. </p><p>Everyday without fail his friends and his mother would knock on his door to let them in. Blaise had actually cast Bombarda on the door. But they were enchanted goblin made ancestral doors — they opened only to male Malfoy’s. Not even his mother could open them. For that he was glad. He knew he wouldn't be able to stand the look on her face if she saw what he had become. </p><p>He'd rather die than let anyone see what he's becoming. </p><p>Maybe this was karma coming back to bite him. He wished he could see her one last time. How he missed that crazy girl. He was waiting for her. And now, there was no guarantee that she had not married some exotic guy like that Krum and had had two and a half kids; she might not ever be back. Still… he would have liked to get a closure. Heart wants what the heart wants. </p><p>They were still knocking on his door. He had half a mind to snarl at them but he was so exhausted, mentally and physically. He got up from his bed and walked towards his dresser to grab his socks. It got pretty drafty in the evening. He looked down at his hand that resembled more of a claw. The nails had elongated to sharp points and the colour… a ghastly dark brown-black. </p><p>Bald, scales for skin, claws for hands. Hideous. That's what he has become. Hideous. Monstrous. </p><p>His eyes fell on the ornate mirror that hung just above his dressing table. It had a vine pattern all around the long oval mirror, the leaves on the vine were intricate and delicate. A hand crafted marvel, all the way from Italy. It almost looked as if a silver vine grew around the mirror. There were tiny flowers in the tangled vines too. It was beautiful. Then he looked at his reflection and his breath got stuck in his throat out of disgust. </p><p>He had lost his ears. They had turned into spiky outgrowth that ran alongside his temple. His reflection lifted a claw and traced the hardened scales covering his whole head. Scales that were the same colour as his skin had been. His eyes had turned into slits like a cat. They had lost their stormy grey colour; instead it looked as if he had burst all the blood vessels in his eyes. So a terrifying amalgamate of grey and red.  </p><p>As he continued taking account of his changes, his eyes filled with tears that he couldn’t shed. No cursebreaker would be able to undo this curse. The ones that he had consulted had given up all hope. No potion, no salve, no balm — nothing. The local experts had given up by the time he lost all his hair. The international experts had yet to reply back to the Owls they had sent out. The curse was acting so fast that Draco was sure that by the end of the week he was going to become a human dragon hybrid. And there was nothing anyone could do. </p><p>He snarled and backhanded his mirror, shattering the ornate mirror into pieces, the frame bending under the assault it suffered. </p><p>Oh, did he mention the sudden strength in his limbs? There was that as well. </p><p>He needed a walk through the gardens. </p>
<hr/><p>The House elves knew their young master was out of his den after three difficult days. They had felt the curse grow more and more, tainting the aura they associated with their young master. Not being able to help the young master was such a horrible feeling. Mimi wrung her tiny hands in helplessness and worry. Maybe she could go to him and apply the new salve that Mistress had brought, but was unable to put on the young master. She was still fretting over what to do when she felt a tingle run down her spine and looked towards her young master, only to find him withering on the grass in pain as the loud cracks and snaps of bones breaking filled the night. </p><p>The inhuman growl that followed soon had Mimi apparate into the house to bring Mistress out. This was something beyond Mimi now. </p><p>Mimi and Mistress and young master’s loyal friends came running out into the rose garden but they only found gouges on the immaculate lawn and completely burnt down rose bushes. It was as if the beautiful garden was visited by a dragon. </p><p>Mistress fell down on the grass, a heart wrenching sob leaving her mouth. Mimi cried wringing her ears in self inflicted punishment. She has failed her family. She has failed her young master. </p>
<hr/><p>
  <strong>To Be Continued...</strong>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I couldn't wait to update this. So there... 😜</p><p>The explanation or the flow of the story might feel a bit rushed or chunky. I guess I don't have it in me to add more depth to this old piece. Maybe, in other chapters I might add even more details or other things. I don't know. I am being lazy, I can feel that but... I just wanted you all to have nearly OOC fun. If that makes any sense to y'all. </p><p>You can comment on anything you feel like. I'll try to keep them in mind.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <hr/><p>The chirping began just like clockwork as the sunlight filtered in through the lacy curtains. One wasn’t supposed to have such a flimsy curtain, after all who liked to wake up at the break of dawn?</p><p>Well, she did. Hermione had almost forgotten what an alarm sounded like given how this guy always came to her quaint little cottage to sing her to wakefulness. Yes, he was a Fwooper but he hadn’t driven her crazy with his trills and tweets yet. His dad was one of those super rare Cliodna’s birds. So instead of driving anyone crazy, his song’s cured mild illnesses — he was her Redbull charged coffee.</p><p>“Good morning, Alan,” Hermione said to the unique bird.</p><p>Alan trilled back in reply.</p><p>Hermione laughed. “Yes, yes. Breakfast coming up in half an hour. Works for you?”</p><p>A responding tweet had Hermione laughing again. “Hungry chick.”</p><p>She sat up, rubbing her eyes when Crooks jumped on the bed meowing softly.</p><p>“My baby! Come here!”</p><p>Crooks padded over to her to get exactly five and a half belly rubs. No more. No less.</p><p>It was barely five thirty and Hermione's day was looking bright and busy and.. just a tad bit boring. Just a itsy bitsy teeny tiny bit.</p><p>Oh, she wasn’t complaining; she had chosen this life after all. A couple years after doing “mindless” paperwork that resulted in almost nothing in The Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. </p><p>She wanted to make a difference. There were so many exceptions to the rigid definitions people had set ages ago. All the protections prepared for the good of these creatures and beings basically failed because of those definitions. That wasn't what she had wanted to do. </p><p>So she did what she thought was best. Create the exception department. She had had the backing of the Ministry (she might have pulled the I-Saved-The-Wizarding-World card and Harry had openly proclaimed that it was Hermione who kept him alive). </p><p>She had a comfortable amount of land that had a generous water body, rolling grassy plains and even small caves in the hill in the distance. She devoted all her time to help these creatures who didn't know how to fit, to fit in. </p><p>She had quite some house guests- a nundu called Jeff, a prehistoric crocodile named Steve, Roman and Dahlia the turtle doves with phoenix blood (their dad is a phoenix), Alan her personal alarm clock Fwooper and Cliodna's bird hybrid, Scott the Niffler and his family to name a few. </p><p>Oh, did she mention she's getting visited by a dragon as well? Apparently, his other dragon friend had told him she's a nice itch reliever. Some of the wild dragon's came to get the anti-itch balm rubbed all over them when they shed. As a result, free dragonhide of a quality unlike any sold in stores. He was supposed to come back in few days. He had just one stubborn patch of skin that was left to be removed. Then the job is done. </p><p>Yes, there were dragon sanctuaries, but the wild ones liked to be wild and get help only when absolutely needed. Like getting their anti-pests rubs and the very popular anti-itching balms. </p><p>She went about her day, filling everyone's feeding bowl. Carrying a big pail of tuna for the kelpies down in the artificial lake. There were some rare turtles there too and of course, Steve and his crowd. </p><p>Some deer and a couple zebra deer hybrids ran by her and she walked towards the lake. She had free house elves to help her. A small squad of them...okay, a battalion. The sensitive creatures hated other human presence- magical or otherwise. They’d had bad experiences with every human they've met. Except her. </p><p>Somewhere along the line, she had discovered she was good with creatures. Or as Harry said, an understatement; she was great with animals. Her empathy for these poor creatures had manifested into something she can called 'Dr Dolittle Condition’. She could clearly understand the creatures — maybe not understand their speech. She felt what they felt — their discomfort, their pain, their sorrow, their hunger. </p><p>It was Ginny who first realised that Crook and she had a very synchronized routine. But when she hissed at Ron for trying to sit in her spot at the same time as Crooks hissed, Ginny was confirmed. Hermione was a creature empath. Ginny’s conclusion, not hers. Not anyone else’s.</p><p>It has been a long time since there had been a known creature empath. Scamander had been good with creatures. But he hadn’t been a creature empath. Hermione would probably die if a creature was killed in front of her now. Because she would feel them die, she’d die alongside it. </p><p>So it had been an obvious decision to live like a hermit in the wilderness of Iceland. Living with her battalion of house elves and creatures who needed endless love and a bit of firm love. It was lovely. It was lonely. There was only so much she can talk about to her pals. Letters came almost every week. A visit every two to three weeks. Everyone loved coming to Aunt Mione's sanctuary. Hermione concluded it was a much better life she was leading right now as compared to before. </p><p>Hermione expected Tony to arrive in the evening. He was one of the regular dragons who came to get his balm of the season. Hermione supervised the on goings like the supervisor she was. </p><p>So it was a surprise when the Common Welsh Green arrived far earlier than usual. As soon as Hermione approached him, she felt another being in the area. Another dragon had accompanied Tony. </p><p>An Antipodean Opaleye!</p><p>That was Tony's new friend. Her grumpy, snarky visitor has brought a friend. </p><p>“Hello! Hi there! Welcome to my sanctuary. I can't believe Tony brought a friend,” Hermione began as she approached the dragons. She walked towards Tony and extended her hand. Tony placed his snout on her palm. “Such a good boy. Taking his medicines on time. Coming to the sanctuary regularly,” Hermione cooed as he leant down to allow her to give him neck rubs and some behind the “ear” scratches. </p><p>Hermione noticed the Opaleye hadn't moved an inch. To be honest, it felt as if he was staring at her with his mouth open. Hermione gave Tony a final pat and moved towards the Opaleye, cautiously. Empath or not, it is still a wild animal. </p><p>“Hello, my name is Hermione. I take care of this sanctuary,” the words seemed to jolt the dragon out of his thoughts. He snorted and wheezed and snorted again before Tony let out a small snort that sounded surprisingly like a laugh. Hermione could feel the amusement rolling off Tony in waves. The Opaleye huffed in annoyance and shuffled towards Hermione, placing his snout at a pat-able distance. </p><p>Hermione smiled brightly. “You are so beautiful. Like a vision in white.” Hermione continued patting him when she noticed scratches on his neck and behind his head along with flakes of dry skin matted with blood. “Oh my, you scratched yourself to get rid of the moulting skin. You poor thing.” </p><p>The Opaleye nodded at her concern. </p><p>“I got you name you something. I can't keep calling you the Opaleye in my head.”</p><p>The Opaleye stiffen a bit, his eyes getting a wary look. </p><p>Hermione sighed. “You remind me of someone. He is just as pale as you. Eyes like the colour of the sky right before a storm.”</p><p>The Opaleye stiffened even more if that was possible. Tony growled low in his throat. </p><p>Hermione absent-mindedly kept petting his snout. “I was supposed to meet him after graduation, you know. But I found out he was betrothed to a very pretty and sweet girl. That was about three years back.” She sighed. “He is my one that got away.”</p><p>The Opaleye didn't dare to move as he stared at her with a hungry curiosity.</p><p>“I am going to call you Draco.”</p><p>The Opaleye gasped if dragon's could grasp. Because that's what it felt like. Catching a breath with an open mouth. </p><p>“I am sure he has a wonderful family now with two and a half kids. He always wanted a big family. I hope he is happy,” Hermione raised her head to look straight into the Opaleye's eyes, “I know he is happy.”</p><p>The Opaleye jumped out of her reach and furiously started clawing at the ground under his feet. Hermione could feel the disbelief, frustration and helplessness coming from him in waves. She was taken aback for more than a moment. </p><p>Tony bared his teeth and snarled at Draco. Draco whined in pain and whimpered, flopping down to completely lie on the ground on his stomach. Tony nudged him with his snout and snorted. Amusement, smugness, sadness, more disbelief, some more despair… </p><p>Hermione was getting a headache. </p><hr/><p>Draco was a good house guest. While Tony had flown away to wherever he lives, Draco stayed behind. At first, he refused to be away from her. But seeing that he couldn’t really follow her around, he curled into a ball and settled by the lake — his milky white eyes with red pupils following every movement by Hermione. </p><p>“Why are you in my favorite sunspot?” Steve, the prehistoric crocodile, asked Draco. </p><p>The Opaleye did a double take. </p><p>“Yeah, yeah. We can all talk basic animal. So why are you in my spot?”</p><p>“So that I can keep an eye on her,” the dragon gurgled. </p><p>“Eh? She's a good scale-less one. You should keep two eyes on her.”</p><p>The Opaleye turned his snout to face the crocodile. </p><p>“She's a good being. She feeds us on time. She protects us from the ones who try to hunt us. I mean,” Steve scoffed, “who would try to hunt a hunk like me?”</p><p>“I would,” another crocodile crawled in. </p><p>“Ah, Maria! Come here, come here. Meet a scaled one who stole my sun spot.”</p><p>Maria, the Nile crocodile, crawled towards Draco. “Hi, welcome to the safe place.”</p><p>“Hi,” Draco murmured. </p><p>“Shy one, are you?” Maria teased. </p><p>“I’m not a dragon,” Draco grumbled. </p><p>“Oh dear, a dragon with an identity crisis. Don't worry, sweet legs will surely cure you. She's good,” Steve assured. </p><p>Maria agreed. </p><p>“Okay, buddy. I'm going into the water. Take care of my sunspot,” Steve bid him farewell as he slid into the water. </p><p>“Bye, sweetie,” Maria said as she too went into her habitat. </p><p>Draco huffed out smoke. </p><p>“Hey there. You okay?” Somehow, Hermione had managed to creep up on him despite his better hearing. More like, better sense of vibrations around him but who's checking? </p><p>Draco whined a little as he stared at her. The love of his life living the life of a hermit while he was a ‘resident’ at her sanctuary. </p><p>
  <em> “Why are you here? In this wilderness?” he asked her. “And why did he call you sweet legs?” </em>
</p><p>“I know you are asking me questions but all I am hearing are grunts and small roars, buddy. I'm sorry I don't speak dragon.”</p><p>
  <em> “Fuck my life.” </em>
</p><p>“Why do you sound...dejected?” Hermione asked as she approached the sad dragon. </p><p>“<em> I was cursed, I turned into a dragon. Literally. And after three months, I find this dragon who's a real born dragon in the mountains. He saw me struggling with my shedding skin and suggested that I come here and here I am. But you can't understand me and I'm still cursed, I don't know what is going on. Mum must be going crazy with worry and I think-- </em>”</p><p>Small, soft hands stroked his head soothingly, “Calm down, Draco. Everything will be alright. I know you are panicking. I know you are sad. But it will all be alright. I know it will. Sadness like happiness will soon pass. Don't fret.”</p><p>The Opaleye looked at her with teary eyes. </p><p>“We will fix whatever happened to you, big guy. Don't worry,” Hermione said as she hugged his huge head, mindful of his spiky outgrowths. </p><p>It sounded like the dragon sobbed softly as the tiny human hugged him and murmured soothing words to him. </p><p>“That poor boy. He's so sad,” Louis, the female turtle dove, cooed. </p><p>“You think he is a cursed human?” Clark, her mate, asked doubtfully. </p><p>“It's his tears that make me trust his words. Those sad words…”</p><p>Clark cooed softly to comfort his kind mate. </p><hr/><p>The Opaleye was with her for the next three days. They weren't exactly uneventful. Draco was moody, snappish and sometimes, downright rude to her. Just like his namesake. </p><p>It was a terse day, though it hadn't started off like that. </p><p>Steve was getting a back scratch from Hermione, when the alligator snapping turtle came there for some of that pampering. He could snap her finger into two but he liked those fingers itching just...just...right there…</p><p>Soon everyone followed in. The house elves were made to leave their respective work to pamper the creatures with belly rubs, under chin scratches, between ear scratches… you name a scratch, it was getting scratched. </p><p>The resident dragon joined too. He was getting behind the 'ear’ scratches when Hermione came to scratch him under his chin. He wagged his tail like a dog, raising a dust storm with his thumping. Soon he laid back and showed his belly. Hermione's bell like laughter filled the air and she willingly scratched his belly. </p><p>Suddenly Draco tensed and let out a growl. Hermione immediately backed away from him. He showed her a fangfull snarl and flew away. </p><p>Hermione was scared. For the first time while maintaining the sanctuary, she was scared. It simply reminded her that the creatures there might be enjoying their lives but at the end of the day, they are just that — creatures. </p><p>All the other creatures understood the tension that was suddenly there was caused by the newcomer. It was <b>not</b> done. No one dares to shit on their furless, clawless, fangless, scale-less one's hospitality. </p><hr/><p>Draco came back before nightfall only to slowly be surrounded by the creatures of the sanctuary. The nundu, the crocodile family — Steve, Maria and their not so small kids, Hermione's demon cat, was that a demiguise?, an Occamy! (<em>What the fuck?! </em> ), a small herd of Thestral, (<em>holy shit! </em>) a small family of unicorn... </p><p>Draco kept whipping left and right to check who else had surrounded him. </p><p>“How dare you make our caretaker feel fear?” The nundu, Jeff, hissed, a toxic green vapour coming out of his nostril slowly. </p><p>“Do you know what she did to make this place safe for us?” Maria shouted. </p><p>“Man, I let you sit in my favourite sun spot and this is how you repay? By scaring that scale-less one?” Steve sounded so upset.</p><p>“I'll chew and spit out your manhood,” Crooks promised as he licked his paw, not even looking at Draco. </p><p>Draco felt a slap on his nose. </p><p>“Get out of here. You don't deserve to be here,” the demiguise said as he disappeared somewhere. </p><p>The Occamy hissed at him, calling him an egg stealer- a severe insult in Occamy-ese. </p><p>“She's pure. You don't deserve her!” The male unicorn said. </p><p>Draco roared, “Damn right I don't deserve. I don't deserve to be touched by her. Have you seen me? I am <b>NOT </b>human! And I am not a dragon! How do you think it works for me?! I want her touch but not like this! Not when I am a monster.” Draco's tone winded down, ending with a sob at the end. </p><p>The Thestral leader came forward, “Affection doesn't see the skin. It sees the intention, the emotions. Your emotions are of true affection. I am sure she will understand this too.”</p><p>Draco sniffed loudly. “I tried to write in the dust but these claws are not equipped to write words. Useless scribbles. She didn't know what I wrote.”</p><p>Tears rolled down his scaly face. </p><p>“Draco, are you okay? Why's everyone here?”</p><p>Roars, squeaks, screeches, grunts, snorts and coos were the answer to her question. </p><p>Crooks maowed and meowed and pointed to Draco and maowed some more, chattered his teeth, ending with a I'm-batting-enemy-to-death paw move. </p><p>“Oh. That's a lot to think about,” Hermione replied. “Anyways, some other time. It's time for Draco's hide balm. Come on, everyone, get busy.”</p><p>The demiguise slapped Draco’s rump this time. </p><hr/><p>Hermione was sitting in her plush cushy chair with a book in her hand and Crooks in her lap, all done for the day when she heard a loud thud. Did any creature get into mischief? They could really give Fred and George a run for their money. </p><p>Hermione got up when she heard knocks on the door. If this is Shenzi and her hyena gang knocking on the door and running away, she'll stop getting them the buffalo chew bone this week. </p><p>She didn't bother wrapping her robe on herself and picked Crooks up and marched towards the door. </p><p>She opened it with an angry jerk, only to find naked Draco Lucius Malfoy on her doorstep. </p><p>“Hi,” he managed to murmur before he swayed dangerously on his feet. </p><p>Hermione rushed to hold him, Crooks jumping out of her arms. Hermione managed to hold him to her. She let out a sigh of relief only to realize she's holding a naked Draco in her arms while she was in a ratty nightwear. </p><p>Hermione gulped loudly. Talk about wishing for an interesting life.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>To Be Continued...</strong>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I am fairly active on Tumblr- <a href="https://queenvulca.tumblr.com/">QueenVulca</a> </p><p>I have a twitter account now because I needed to heal after the mess TROS was so- <a href="https://https://twitter.com/QVulca/">QVulca</a></p><p>I have an Instagram account because my friends forced me 😑. I share memes there.<br/>- <a href="https://www.instagram.com/queenvulca/">queenvulca</a> </p><p>💖💖💖💖</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Work from home. So many work from home. Work is up to date, so guess what comes next in line to be up to date? My WIPs.<br/>Jokes and jest aside, I hope everyone one of you is safe. Whatever you do, don't panic. Keep calm and wash your hands and don't go out unless it's absolutely necessary.<br/>Thought this fun chapter can lighten the moods a bit.<br/>So here you go.<br/>If there are my incubus story readers here, sorry, I am still writing that story. It takes a lot out of my muse for that story but we're getting there. I promise.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <hr/><p>
  <span>Draco didn't remember much of what happened after Hermione put those ointment on his hide and hugged him to console him from the confrontation he just faced.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was dizzy when she left and he couldn't, for the life in him, think straight. It was like he was instantly drunk the moment Hermione walked away from him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After assuming it was the curse acting out again, he swayed his way towards the tree line and flattened quite some trees and sat there, riding the dizzy spell out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He woke up to the feeling of something soft, </span>
  <em>
    <span>oh so soft</span>
  </em>
  <span>, cuddling next to him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You didn't lie. You're fur-less, claw-less, scale-less and fang-less like Hermione. You could be a good match with her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Draco opened his eyes to find a Siberian lion’s pride sleeping with him. The lion showed him a fang-full smile and licked him from chin to hairline. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go to the cottage. She's there resting for the night. I would have loved to have you around but the little one could bite bits off you. Young ones,” the lion snorted, laughing, “I'm Clint.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Draco nodded his head jerkily. He stood up, naked as the day he was born and walked towards the cottage- he could see the light in the cottage through the window. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He remembers walking towards the cottage, a focused intent to go there...why? He’ll think about that later.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wobbled like a newborn foal. Somehow, he managed to sway-walk and reached the cottage. He tried not to feel self conscious about being naked- he was cursed after all- when Steve poked his head out of the water- the moonlight shining on his wet snout- and shouted, “You have a wrinkly penis!” and went back in the water, bubbles rising as a result of his underwater laughter. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am a human, you fucktard!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The hyenas laughed too. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh, will the mortification ever end?</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>He didn’t remember if he knocked or not. The door opened and seeing her was all the relief. He smiled a toothy smile and took a step towards her, falling right into her arms. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was home.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>“You’re so nice,” Draco mumbled as Hermione helped him sit on the couch. “You’re so soft. And nice. Why are you so nice...I've never been so nice to you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I forgave you ages ago. Those were different times and different circumstances,” Hermione answered as Draco just flopped on the couch. But he hadn’t let go of her so she stumbled into him, falling right on top of Draco. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It took Hermione just a moment to realise his state of clothing. She was over his firm, bare chest and she didn’t dare think beyond that. She quickly grabbed the Afghan throw on the back of the couch and tried to place it on him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Draco taking advantage of her turned face took a deep sniff of her hair. “Your hair is so nice. It smells like sunshine and roses. And chocolate. I want to eat chocolate. Do you have chocolate?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hermione didn’t answer. She was busy trying to put the afghan on him to...protect his modesty. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This cottage is very pretty. Is it yours? It's very pretty. But live with me. I have a prettier house.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hermione looked at him, it was easier now since he was decent-ish now, and tried to find why he was acting like a drunk. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn't act like this when he was...a dragon. He was a </span>
  <b>dragon</b>
  <span>. Wait, was he just an animagus pulling her leg?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He has been living with her for the past three days. A day of being a full time dragon was enough time for him to do a lot of things. But he didn’t.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Was he cursed? She scoffed in her head. Why didn't he ever try to tell-- Oh! Those scratches and gouges on the ground. He was trying to write! If he was just pranking her, then he wouldn’t have tried to write to her. She was still having a hard time believing that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Draco moaned in pain as he settled in for comfortablely. “Everything is spinning. Why is your cottage spinning? Did you make a spinny cottage? It's nice. We could live here. You and me. And our little ones. In this little cottage. With the perverts outside.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hermione froze. She tried to stamp out the sudden rush of overwhelming emotions over what he said and focused on getting a feel of his emotions. Humans are creatures too at the end of the day. </span>
</p><p>. . .</p><p>
  <span>Drunk. He was drunk out of his mind! But where did he get any intoxicant? More importantly, how did he change? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Crooks jumped up on the sofa at that moment and took a deep sniff of the strange man in his territory. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hermione knew she was being silly but the concept of Swan Lake wasn't leaving her mind. It was nagging her like a song whose name she couldn't remember. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Draco, did you get cursed?” Hermione asked, not paying attention to his chuckling. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm?” Draco said distractedly. Crooks slapped Draco on his shoulders and he turned to look at the furry menace. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Why are you here?" Crooks meowed at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Draco laughed, "Felt a pull to this place."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hermione looked at Draco, "Are you talking to Crooks?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What?" Draco faced Hermione, "Yes. Weird but yes."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Answer my lady now." Crooks maowed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Draco blew a raspberry at Crooks making the half Kneazle hiss at him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hermione went up to him and grabbed his face, placing her palms on either side of his face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you get cursed, Draco?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Draco turned his attention to the woman before him, trying to focus his sights on her. His rock during those months of eighth year. His attention was soon caught by that errant lock of her hair that never gave up its rebellion phase. He tucked it behind her ear and it sprung out of there almost immediately. He laughed at that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let me get some water for you,” Hermione said, trying to get up from there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He snagged her arm, not wanting her to go. “Don't go. You always go. You always leave me behind.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I'm just getting you some water,” Hermione said, looking a bit out of her element.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No water. I want you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hermione went bright red on hearing that. He sure did not have any filter on today. She remained there looking at Draco, trying to find her emotional footing when he abruptly pulled her down and kissed her cheek. "So soft. More than I imagined."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hermione looked shocked for a moment and then she shook his head in dismay, “Draco, you’re gonna wake up tomorrow and feel really stupid.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hermione got off the couch with a sigh. As she fumbled in the kitchen trying to deal with her old feeling bubbling for the blond in the living room, the said person in question tumbled out of the couch. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The floor by the window was illuminated by moonlight. He needed to feel that on his skin. He shed the Afghan on his person and opened the door and walked out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hermione returned a few minutes later with the glass of water in her hand but Draco was nowhere to be seen. She heard the roar of a dragon and ran out of her cottage to see Draco flap his powerful wings, almost creating a strong gush of gale. Into the moonlit night he went. </span>
  <span><br/>
<br/>
</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She needed to talk to McGonagall. It doesn’t seem like Draco turned into a dragon voluntarily. What the hell was going on? She needed answers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She waited for him the whole night. He didn’t come back. Crooks tried to assure her but… all the meld of all those old feelings and the new ones… she sighed. This is exactly why she chose this life. Heck the boredom, she wants that old boredom back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She certainly has lost her patience for anything more complicated than a creature trying to scratch their wound.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>The next morning, Draco woke up next to the lake back in his Opaleye form. Steve was there to help him get oriented while he tried to understand what Draco did in the one night as a scaleless one.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Draco narrated his side of the story, ending with a grumble, "I feel stupid for not kissing her properly."</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“If you’ve already managed to get that close to her, then </span>
  <span>tenderly rub her snouts and backs, or blow bubbles,” Steve suggested. “Maria loved it when I blew bubbles for a long time.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Draco smiled, "that is not how humans work.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, you're not human.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Draco sighed as he tried to spy on Hermione who was busy feeding the stray dogs. Not human anymore. He had a chance yesterday but he was so out of his mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve thumped his tail on his, “Don’t worry, everything will solve itself out. That’s the rule of nature. Everything solves itself. You just watch.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Draco hoped it was true. </span>
</p>
<hr/><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I am fairly active on Tumblr- <a href="https://queenvulca.tumblr.com/">QueenVulca</a> </p><p>I have a twitter account now because I needed to heal after the mess TROS was so- <a href="https://https://twitter.com/QVulca/">QVulca</a></p><p>I have an Instagram account because my friends forced me 😑. I share memes there.<br/>- <a href="https://www.instagram.com/queenvulca/">queenvulca</a></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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